Additional GA4 settings

This documentation provides step-by-step instructions for implementing custom user properties and event parameters in your Google Analytics 4 (GA4) property.

Overview

Each section below describes the implementation for one specific property or parameter:

Ever Paid (ever_paid)

Is Bot (is_bot)

Customer Type (customer_type)

All examples include Google Tag Manager (GTM), and gtag.js approaches.

Ever Paid (User Property)

Tracks whether a user has ever made a payment or conversion on your platform.

Useful for differentiating actions of paying vs. non-paying users, especially for freemium or subscription-based businesses.

Expected Values

true – The user has made at least one payment.

false – The user has never paid.

Implementation via Google Tag Manager

Create a Data Layer Variable for ever_paid.

Create a Variable inside GTM that reads that value from the dataLayer, name it ever_paid.

If you don’t already have one, create a GA4 Event Settings Variable.

Under the User Properties section, add:

Property Name: ever_paid

Value: Your Data Layer variable (e.g., {{ever_paid}})

Select this Event Settings Variable in all GA4 configuration and event tags.

Implementation via gtag.js

javascript
gtag('config', 'GA_MEASUREMENT_ID', {
  'user_properties': {
    'ever_paid': true // or false
  }
});

Create Custom Dimension in GA4

Go to Admin → Data display → Custom definitions.

Click Create custom dimension.

Set:

Scope: User

Dimension name: ever_paid

Description: Indicates if the user has ever paid

User property: ever_paid

Click Save.

Is Bot (User Property)

Flags users identified as bots or automated sessions. This allows filtering out bot traffic.

Expected Values

true – The session/user is identified as a bot.

false – The user is human.

Implementation via Google Tag Manager

Create a Data Layer Variable for is_bot.

Create a Variable inside GTM that reads that value from the dataLayer, name it is_bot.

If you don’t already have one, create a GA4 Event Settings Variable.

Under the User Properties section, add:

Property Name: is_bot

Value: Your Data Layer variable (e.g., {{is_bot}})

Select this Event Settings Variable in all GA4 configuration and event tags.

Implementation via gtag.js

javascript
gtag('config', 'GA_MEASUREMENT_ID', {
  'user_properties': {
    'is_bot': true // or false
  }
});

Create Custom Dimension in GA4

Go to Admin → Data display → Custom definitions.

Click Create custom dimension.

Set:

Scope: User

Dimension name: is_bot

Description: Indicates if the user has ever paid

User property: is_bot

Click Save.

Customer Type (Event Parameter)

Tracks whether a conversion event comes from a new or returning customer.

Helps measure acquisition vs. retention performance.

Expected Values

new – The customer is making their first purchase.

returning – The customer has purchased before.

Implementation via Google Tag Manager

Add a Data Layer Variable for customer_type to the conversion dataLayer event when a user completes a transaction.

Create a Variable inside GTM that reads that value from the dataLayer, name it customer_type.

Open your GA4 tag that tracks the conversion.

Under the Event Parameters section, add:

Property Name: customer_type

Value: Your Data Layer variable (e.g., {{customer_type}})

Implementation via gtag.js

Example adding customer_type to the purchase event.

javascript
gtag('event', 'purchase', {
  transaction_id: 'T12345',            
  value: 199.99,                       
  currency: 'USD',                                   
  // Custom parameter: Customer Type
  customer_type: 'new'                // "new" or "returning"
});